Learning to Swim
by alecsangryface
Summary: Magnus can't swim, Alec tries to teach him. Rated M for smut


**A/N: This was written for the beautiful magnusbakes on twitter, thank/blame them for this. Also don't have sex in a pool, it isn't safe.**

There were those like Magnus and Clary who had experienced enough down time in their life to know how to deal with it, then there were those like the Shadowhunters who were not so lucky to have that knowledge. They had thrown themselves into reading and training, eating and healing, politics and more politics as they waited for the inevitable next onslaught of terror.

It was as he stepped out barefooted onto the balcony of his Greek villa that Magnus was glad he had such a way with words that he could persuade the Lightwoods and their company to let him steal away their eldest son away for a few days of relaxation. He watched Alec as he did laps of the pool, the way that the water cascaded over his flexing back muscles, how the black swim shorts clung to his bum in the water and how his head tilted back to soak in the sun as he reached the edge of the pool that met the edge of a cliff.

Somehow Alec must have felt Magnus' eyes on him because he turned around and beckoned for him to join him. With a deep sigh Magnus headed back into their room to change into his own swimming shorts, though they took shorts to a whole other meaning. As he changed he thought about the conversation that got him into this mess.

 _"What do you mean you can't swim!? Everyone can swim!" Max sounded confused as he interrogated Magnus about his holiday with Alec. Magnus flushed slightly, a sight few people had seen._

 _"Alec! Magnus can't swim!" Max shouted at his brother who had just entered the room with a cup of tea for Magnus. "You're gonna have to teach him how to swim Alec!"_

 _"Max, why don't you go see what Izzy's doing?" Alec prompted as he saw Magnus' features freeze in fear before they were immediately smoothed out into something that looked almost like amusement. He sighed heavily as Max left the room, with only a few grumbles about being left out, and as Alec tentatively sat next to him, offering the tea like it would start a diplomatic summit to rival Munich._

 _Magnus wasn't sure if he wanted to tell Alec anything about it, but he also felt like he owed Alec an explanation because he had so easily removed the uncomfortable situation from Magnus' list of things he had to deal with._

 _"You don't have to tell me" Alec shrugged. "I want to know why you froze up like that and why you think I wouldn't notice. But I don't want to force you, so you don't have to tell me if you don't want to"_

 _Magnus had again been surprised. From what he had come to learn about Alec in the time that they had known each other, he believed that Alec needed to know all the facts so he could try to make a just decision. Knowing that Alec would give up that principle for him was indescribable, he was astounded and a little bit confused but mostly he was grateful._

Magnus hadn't told Alec why he had frozen up like he did, he wasn't sure if he ever would, but he did ask Alec to teach him to swim. Learning to swim was one of many steps in conquering his fear of the water, but more specifically his fear of being alone in the middle of a vast expense of almost nothingness and relying on his body being able to float to keep him alive.

Alec was sat of the edge of the pool as he waited for Magnus, his long legs dangling in the water and making wave patterns by gently kicking them out in front of him. Droplets of water valiantly clung to his hair before succumbing to gravity to fall down the plains of his pale, rune marked back and sizzle away as they met the floor. Magnus followed the journey of every one.

"Come sit with me? The water's warm" Alec patted the space next to him as Magnus' soft foot falls on the wooden panelling broke the quiet calm that had settled around him.

Magnus took the offer of sitting but did not dip his feet into the water like Alec had, instead crossing his legs and folding his hands into his lap to look impossibly and uncharacteristically small. Alec settled a warm hand on his knee and his thumb stroked lazy patterns into Magnus' skin.

"I'm scared" Magnus whispered eventually after the silence between them had become too loud. The confession burned his lips as it slipped through, he hadn't wanted to say anything but the silence allowed him time to think, time to remember the awful experience he'd had with a large body of water before.

"So don't do it then, it doesn't matter" Alec shrugged.

"I have to. This is my one flaw" Magnus jokingly replied. "If I solve this I'm officially perfect"

"You can't dance or sing. Sometimes you're very lazy. You snore too" Alec said, smirking when he saw Magnus' affronted gasp out of the corner of his eye.

Magnus scoffed a laugh, "That was a meaningful statement on its own, you didn't have to try to prove it wrong"

"Karl Popper would say otherwise" Alec replied, finally turning to face Magnus. His eyes raked over Magnus' naked chest and arms, swallowing forcefully. "But never mind that, you're trying to distract yourself so you don't have to get in the water"

Alec stood and offered him a hand up. It took Magnus a few seconds to actually take the hand because now that he was stood up it was too easy for Magnus to just watch the sun reflect off water that had found home on Alec's chest hair. His eyes followed the snowflake like patterns of droplets down Alec's chest and torso, subconsciously wetting his lips at the sight of his happy trail disappearing into his shorts.

"You're distracting me" Magnus said as he was pulled up to standing. "Look at what you're wearing!" He had never appreciated black semi-waterproof shorts so much in his entire life. No, he had never appreciated a man in black semi-waterproof shorts so much in his entire life, and of those there had been a few.

"Never mind what I'm wearing! What are you wearing?" Alec replied defensively.

"What's wrong with what I'm wearing? This particular shade of yellow is exactly my colour" Magnus pouted at his own shorts. They were a vibrant yellow that erred on the side of gold and they might have been a bit shorter than what was normally appropriate but they were alone and he had never been one to do appropriate.

"It leaves nothing to the imagination!"

"Oh" Magnus exaggerated his pout as he raised his head to look at Alec again "Is your imagination feeling left out?"

"Shut up. Do you want to learn to swim or not?" Alec barely waited for him to answer before he was leading him towards the steps at the shallow end of the pool. The shallow water didn't even cover his bum, in fact it barely reached the bottom of it.

 _I can do this. I can do this_. Replayed over and over again in Magnus' head as Alec began leading him further into the deeper water. _I can do this_. As the water started to reach the centre of his chest, if it weren't for Alec's hands in his he would have surely panicked enough to drown himself by now.

"You're doing well" Alec whispered. Magnus had not realised just how terrified he looked until he saw the reflection of his features in Alec's pupils.

They stopped when the water came up to Magnus' neck, keeping his feet on the floor was becoming a struggle and he could see the white of his knuckles clenching onto Alec's hands. Alec took a step closer to him and Magnus immediately threw his arms around his neck and his legs around his waist, clutching to Alec like a baby koala and breathing in the scent of his neck; it steadied him somewhat.

"Magnus I need you to let go. You can stand, it's okay" Alec ran his fingers down Magnus' spine in a soothing gesture.

"My feet don't even touch the floor!" He screeched in Alec's ear as he clung tighter to him. His heart was thudding in his chest, at least when he was clinging to Alec he was further away from drowning.

Alec tried to joke, "Yeah but things float in water"

"Easy for you to say! You're a giant! You can stand up and not _drown_ " Magnus snapped. He would have felt bad if he had seen Alec's face fall, but between his face being pressed into Alec's neck and the pounding of blood in his head, there was very little chance of him noticing anything.

"We can get out if you want" Alec whispered, the soothing motion of fingers stroking his spine picked up again.

"No I have to do this" Magnus muttered though he made no attempt to move.

"Okay, let go then" Alec laughed and slowly started pulling Magnus off of him. Magnus relaxed enough to remove his legs from Alec's waist but he kept his hands on his shoulders to lift himself up; the water around his neck was too tight.

"To start I want you to lie back and put your ears in the water" Alec shushed him before Magnus could start to protest. "I promise I won't let go of you for a second." As he spoke Alec's hands caressed his sides, sending a tingling sensation across every nerve in his body. "Trust me"

"I do" Magnus let himself be guided into a sort of laying position. Alec's hands were at the small of his back and the inside of his thigh, and his eyes never left Magnus' encouraging and patient.

The back of his head became soaked and bile started to rise in the back of his throat, suffocating his words. His nails dug into Alec's upper arms, a man unused to pain would have winced; Alec took it in his stride. For a second the water rushing into his ears dulled all his senses so all he could feel were Alec's hands on him, he could hear the sound of blood pumping in his head, then the water started to lap at the side of his mouth. The sudden realization that he had been close to drowning jarred him, he scrambled and failed, somehow unable to get a grip on Alec to pull himself up. He couldn't breathe.

Alec hauled Magnus up by his arms so he was at least upright, then kept him steady with one had on his lower back and the other cupping his neck tenderly. "It's okay, I'm here, I've got you." Magnus was trembling under his hands and shaking his head.

"I can't do that yet" Magnus whispered when he finally slowed down his breathing. He was clutching at Alec's shoulders and their chests were pressed together, as a result his feet weren't on the floor, just his toes occasionally brushing faintly against the tiled floor. "I think I just need to get used to the water first, sorry."

"Hey no, that's on me, I should have known not to start so quickly" Alec slid the hand on Magnus' back down to his thighs to lift Magnus up so he could settle his legs around Alec's waist. The hand stopped just above his knee, a gentle pressure that made Magnus giggle. Alec smiled dopily.

"I should have told you why I don't like it. We could have avoided it" Magnus' hands got tighter on Alec's shoulders, this time making him wince, as Alec started wading through the water until Magnus' back was settled against the wall of the pool.

"You don't have to tell me anything" Alec said. He dropped his head to press kisses into Magnus' neck, smiling slightly as he felt Magnus beginning to relax.

"I feel like I should though"

"As long as you're happy I don't care Magnus" Alec said, blushing bright red and burrowing his face further into Magnus' neck.

"It's quite nice in here" Magnus observed after a time of silence, Alec's hands on his thighs were soothing as he worked a circuit of kisses up and down his neck. As he found himself reliving more tension, the more he enjoyed the feeling of warmth from the water, the more he enjoyed Alec's attentions.

"See you just had to relax" Alec voice vibrates against the skin of his neck and despite the temperature of both the sun and the water Magnus shivered.

"I wouldn't say I'm completely relaxed" Magnus teased. He moved one of his hands from Alec's shoulders to twist into his hair so he could drag Alec into a kiss that he had been craving.

Alec hummed happily into Magnus' mouth, one of his hands slowly trailed the outside of Magnus' thigh, from knee to hip then up his side, swallowing the humoured gasp Magnus let out, and stopped when his palm was placed flat over Magnus' beating heart. Magnus kissed with a ferocity that sent his heart into overdrive, it was almost like the gentle pressure of Alec's hand had pushed his ribcage closer to the muscle so he could feel every wild beat inside him.

Alec's hand on his chest slowly began to trail down his torso, brushing lightly over one of his nipples then down to trace the line of Magnus' abs. All he could feel was Alec, his lips, his hands, his cock a gentle on his thigh. Magnus used the hand on Alec's shoulder to pull him closer, so his body was lined up with his and the pool wall dug harshly into Magnus' back.

Magnus gasped in shock as Alec's thumb followed the line of his hard dick in his ever tightening shorts, this was the most adventurous Alec had ever been in their more intimate moments, usually saving the maddening touches for behind closed doors. Alec like this turned him on like nothing else.

"Alexander, are you sure you want to do this here?" He mumbled against his lips, unable to even bring himself to pull away from Alec for such a small distance.

"Shush, you need to relax." Alec whispered, using his own words against him. Magnus rolled his eyes but protested no further, with Alec's hands on him in the way they were it was easy to almost forget he was half submerged in water.

Alec eventually stopped teasing him through his shorts, smiling into their kiss as he pulled Magnus' cock free. Magnus sighed in relief, he had no idea how much he had constricted himself in those shorts, now it was apparent that it was too much. Alec moved to lavish attention on his neck, stroking him through the feeling of freedom.

Magnus tugged at Alec's hair harder the first time he swiped a thumb of the head of Magnus' prick. Magnus could feel him grinning into his neck, the stubble on Alec's chin he hadn't bothered to shave that morning was chafing against the soft skin there, it would have been painful if it weren't so associated with the pleasure of having Alec's mouth on him. "Alexander, oh, would you please stop teasing" He asked, interrupted by his own moans as Alec changed the way he was stroking him just slightly. Alec's hands on him, Magnus was sure, were the sign that philosophers had been searching and arguing for the existence of a benevolent God.

Alec replied by gripping slightly tighter and adding a twist to his strokes. He drew back from Magnus' neck to look at him, to see the way Magnus was starting to unravel, the way his cheeks had filled with blood and his lips had been chewed into a mess. He could feel Magnus' legs start to quake around his hips and feel them slipping from their tight grip. He held harder onto Magnus' hips and pressed his closer into the wall behind him, determined to keep Magnus afloat like he had promised.

"Let go Magnus" Alec whispered before crushing his lips back onto Magnus'. it was all Magnus needed to give into the familiar tingle that was surging through his body, over every nerve and synapse. Alec continued to stroke him until Magnus was tiredly batting his hand away but still kissing him with whatever else he had left in him.

"You relaxed enough?" Alec whispered when they finally parted with their foreheads pressed together and their lips only millimetres apart.

Magnus finally opened his eyes from where they had closed to experience Alec's kiss. He followed every line of Alec's face, from the scar in his eyebrow to the shadows of his eyelashes on his cheeks, right down to the patch of smooth skin on his chin where he couldn't grow hair and his smile. "I'm relaxed, but I do think I need to get out of here"

"How about you just keep your feet in?" Alec asked, he was still committed to the task of getting Magnus to be comfortable. "You can sit on the edge over there" He gestured over his shoulder to somewhere Magnus wasn't paying attention to.

"And what will you be doing?" Magnus asked flirtily. He wouldn't particularly mind at all if he was going to get to watch Alec complete laps of the pool again. Alec was designed to be a swimmer, his wide shoulders and built frame were made to cut through the water with ease. Magnus could watch him all day, but then again Magnus could watch him doing nothing all day and it would still be the most wondrous thing.

Alec's eyes lit up in excitement. "The edge of the pool on the cliff face is kind of incredible. I feel like I'm going to fall off whenever I get there but I know I'm not, it's an adrenaline rush"

"You Shadowhunters and your adrenaline rushes" Magnus mumbled and shook his head, kissing Alec quick and chastely. "Why don't you take enjoyment from the finer things in life like alcohol and food?"

"How about, you let me have my adrenaline hit now, and then we'll do the alcohol and food thing later?" Alec replied. His fingers shifted minutely on Magnus' legs, adjusting their grip to lift Magnus up slightly higher.

"I think that is a fair deal" Magnus replied, tightening the hold his legs had on Alec's hips, just in time for him to be pulled away from the wall. "You're getting better at being a diplomat, Mr Leader of the New York Institute"

"That title still belongs to my parents" Alec muttered, paying more attention to not dropping Magnus than the conversation he was a part of, the water on Magnus' thighs was making him slippery; Alec was going to have to apologise for the marks his fingers were leaving.

"Well I, Magnus Bane the High Warlock of Brooklyn, will be sure to put in a good word for you you're your superiors" Magnus wasn't making movement much easier for Alec, deciding to lean back slightly so his weight was all on Alec's arms, but he trusted him not to drop him and it wasn't like Alec was weak by any stretch of the imagination.

"And your payment?" Alec asked amusedly.

"Nothing much." Magnus replied airily. "Just a promise to help improve Shadowhunter-Downworlder relations"

Alec hummed thoughtfully and didn't reply until he had finally reached the area he had been talking about earlier, "I guess I can do that"

Alec placed him down on the wooden floor, it was warm from the heat of the sun but not painfully so as it would have been if the floor were stone, his feet still dangled in the water where Alec was stood. Magnus played with the curling hair at the nape of Alec's neck, looking thoughtful about his next words.

"How about you get that adrenaline rush with me?" He whispered. He slipped one of his hands out of Alec's hair to trail down his chest, following the trimmed line of hair down to the waistband of his shorts. Mirroring Alec's earlier actions, Magnus stroked him teasingly over his shorts. "Fuck me out here where anyone could see"

Alec's breathing caught and his pupils visibly dilated. "We're alone here though"

Magnus hummed and dipped his hand into Alec's waistband and used his other hand to draw bastadised runes into Alec's skin with his perfectly manicured nails. "Anyone could walk up that path" He nodded to the dirt track that was worn into the side of a hill that overlooked the villa pool. "And what's not to say that I have people coming to cook for us soon?"

Alec growled, his hands that had been on Magnus' thighs lifted to his chest to push him down onto his back. Magnus gasped when Alec's teeth met the skin of his collarbone. "I'd really like that adrenaline please"

Magnus clicked his fingers behind Alec's head, the small spark of magic making him jump slightly but not deterring him from his quest to turn Magnus' skin purple. An almost empty bottle of Pina Colada flavoured lube appeared next to Magnus' head. Alec's arms shook as he quietly chuckled into Magnus' shoulder.

"Are you trying to tell me something, Magnus?"

"Now why would you think that?" Magnus muttered and pulled Alec to kiss him again.

As they kissed Magnus fumbled around his head for the bottle, humming happily into Alec's mouth as his fist closed around it. He pushed it into Alec's hands, silently begging for more than Alec was giving him already. Alec took the bottle out of Magnus' hands but made no move to do anything about it, he was kissing Magnus with a fervour.

Magnus took initiative into his own hands, using the hand that had been teasing Alec's prick to push the waistband of his shorts down over his bum, he couldn't reach much further, but it prompted Alec to start moving.

Alec pulled away from him, his lustful gaze raking over the mess he was making of Magnus' neck. He pulled Magnus' shorts of him in one fluid motion and tossed them away from them so they hit the floor with a wet slap. Magnus smirked at Alec who had subconsciously licked his lips.

Magnus' smirk fell into a gasp as Alec began to rub two lubed fingers over his asshole, he had slicked them up without Magnus noticing. He continued to apply a teasing pressure, but used his clean hand to lift one of Magnus' legs so his foot was resting on the edge of the pool and opening his hole up wider for the first of Alec's fingers to slip in with ease.

"Kiss me?" Magnus breathed as his inner muscles were breached. Alec didn't need to be asked twice, leaning down over him to tangle their tongues together in a languid kiss. He took his time working the first finger in, giving Magnus time to adjust to the intrusion, and using his free hand to stroke the hair at Magnus' temple.

"I feel like someone is watching us" He mumbled against Magnus' lips.

Magnus bit his bottom lip, his eyes begging for another finger; one was just not enough for what he needed, "That's the idea"

Alec licked his lip where he could still feel Magnus' teeth when he was released and pressed a second finger to his hole. He didn't push it until Magnus was trying to rock himself onto it and fisting his own cock. He groaned and tossed his head back, exposing his neck for Alec to take advantage of, when Alec finally gave him what he wanted.

Alec was merciless in his thrusting, making sure to crook his fingers in just the right way to finger Magnus' prostate over and over again until Magnus was practically sobbing his need for more. Magnus tangled his fingers in Alec's hair, tugging and pulling into he was moaning Magnus' name too, chanting it like his own personal mantra.

"I need you to fuck me Alexander" Magnus gasped out, almost choking on the air he couldn't force into his lungs. Alec pulled his fingers out, smiling messily at Magnus' whine from the feeling of emptiness, despite knowing that it was going to happen it still affected him.

"Wait!" Magnus propped himself up on his elbows as Alec began to line his cock up with his ass. Alec froze like a dear caught in headlights, opening his mouth no doubt to apologise. "Not like that" Magnus whispered, he placed a hand on Alec's cheek, using it to pull him forward to their breathing was one and he could lightly peck him on the lips; the most soothing gesture he could manage. He snapped his fingers then closed one of Alec's hands around the packet he had summoned.

Alec looked at the condom wrapper dumbly for a second, just staring at the pink and blue foil wrapper until Magnus took it out of his hand again, ripping it open with his teeth and sitting up further so he could roll it onto Alec's cock. He used his position to kiss Alec one final time, whispering "There's less mess this way" into his lips then gracefully laying back down on his back and presenting himself to be used.

The image of his boyfriend spread out and needing in front of him jarred Alec out of whatever headspace he had gotten himself into. He gently stroked Magnus' quivering thighs as he entered him, deliberately slow so he could watch Magnus writhe and toss his head from side to side as he panted through the painful burn of being opened.

Alec didn't fare much better, Magnus was sinfully tight and the heat that enveloped his cock made it difficult to stop himself from thrusting straight into Magnus. He panted hard and collapsed over Magnus, barely catching himself on his elbow to stop himself from crushing Magnus as he bottomed out.

"How are you always so tight?" Alec groaned into Magnus' ear.

Magnus choked on a laugh, still trying to relax his muscles enough so Alec could move. "I exercise it Darling" He lifted his head up so he could take Alec's ear lobe in between his teeth, smirking at the shiver that he felt course through Alec body, "Move"

Alec drew back so that only the tip of his cock was left in Magnus, stretching out his rim until Magnus was clawing at his shoulders to pull him closer, deeper. Leaning down he captured Magnus' lips, thrusting deep into him and their skin slapping together in the obscenest way. Magnus drug harsh red lines into Alec's already marked back in a desperate attempt to have some leverage to be able to meet his lover's every thrust. He clenched around the length inside him, delighting in the way Alec's face contorted in pleasure and his hips stuttered for a moment until he was flowing into a rapid, unrelenting rhythm.

"Yes, Alexander!" Magnus tossed his head back so hard that it smacked the floor under him, but he was too far gone in the throes of passion to notice or even care. Alec's hands flew to Magnus' hips, gripping them hard enough for Magnus' soft skin to undoubtedly have bruises in the morning, and held him still so he could fuck into Magnus mercilessly.

"Fuck Magnus" Alec gritted out through his teeth. "This is the best idea you've ever had"

Magnus scoffed, pulling his foot out of the water so his knee was bent and his rested it on the edge of the pool like his other foot, it created an angle that forced Alec to hit his prostate repeatedly which was exactly the effect Magnus had wanted. "I'm starting to think so too"

Alec smirked down at him, replying with a harder thrust that made Magnus' back arch; bending him almost in two. Magnus could only groan out tiny 'ah's as Alec continued to hit the same spot over and over again. He let go of Magnus' hips so he could wrap a hand around his leaking cock, fisting it in the same ruthless pace that his hips had set.

It didn't take long for Magnus to spill over the edge with a shout after that, the pace of Alec's hips, his hand on his cock and the bruising grip on his hip was too much, too much heat, possessiveness and lust, for him to be able to hold on much longer. Stars exploded behind his eyes and his body trembled, he could only feel Alec's hands and his stuttering hips inside of him.

Alec's cock pulsed inside of him, his hips making small jerking motions as he spilled himself into the condom. The arm that was holding him up shook until he gently lowed himself to his elbow, bringing his face closer to Magnus' and laying a small chaste kiss to his lover's lips. "Adrenaline makes it better" He whispered, his eyes laughing as they refocused on Magnus.

Magnus hummed, reaching up to drag his fingers through Alec's messy hair, it was still wet at the roots from where he had been swimming earlier, but it was adorable messy as well in the way that it had dried. He shivered as Alec pulled out of him, loathing the feeling of emptiness, but relishing in the way that Alec moved to lie next to him and pulled him against his chest.

Magnus clicked his fingers to vanish the condom and its contents to one of the bins in the villa, he didn't want to lose the chance to cuddle naked with Alec in the sun before Alec realised where they were and what they were doing.

"I think we're going to have to do this a few more times for my relaxation to become Pavlovian" Magnus laughed into Alec's shoulder.

"I'm sure the Institute won't need me for a few more days" Alec replied, "failing that, I can just say I'm improving Shadowhunter-Downworlder relations"

Magnus laughed loudly into Alec's ear. "We can keep improving those relations later. I really need a shower now"

"Surely Downworlders and Shadowhunters need to come to some conclusion about the pressure of running water, right?" Alec asked pulled him closer to his chest, breathing deeply into his still perfect hair.

"You know I think I remember one of my warlocks saying something about that." Magnus pretended to look thoughtful for a moment. "I suppose we should investigate. For the good of our people, of course"

Alec smiled and pushed himself up so he was standing over Magnus and offering him a hand. Magnus didn't hesitate to take it, opening a portal to the bathroom all in one fluid motion. He dragged Alec through with a giggled kiss and only a slight stumble.


End file.
